Fifty leftover World War
II siren poles in Union Square, downtown and the Fisherman's Wharf area
will be brought into the 21st century using a $2.1 million Homeland Security
grant from the federal government.

During a press conference announcing the upgrade,
the sirens blared at noon over Union Square on Tuesday, followed by a deep
voice calling out, "This is a test. This is a test of the outdoor warning
system. This is only a test."

While joking that a new citywide loudspeaker system
could be interpreted as "a little bit of Big Brother," Mayor Gavin
Newsom said he was pushing to get all the updated broadcasting units in
place by January because of their potential benefits in case of emergency.

The new speakers will make more common the familiar
air raid siren heard by some neighborhood residents Tuesdays, and allow
prerecorded and live messages to be broadcast by the mayor and public safety
officials.

Newsom recalled that in 1989, when the Loma Prieta
earthquake caused widespread damage in the Marina, there was no rapid outdoor
broadcast available. Misinformation, such as rumors the entire Bay Bridge
had collapsed, spread as quickly as more accurate updates did.

"This is a tool to calm people's nerves, to calm
their fears and, in a worst-case scenario, to direct people," he concluded.
The mayor added that few cities in the United States are compact enough
to mount such a state-of-the-art system that reaches everyone.

Office of Emergency Services chief Annemarie
Conroy called the noon sirens "a weekly reminder for preparedness."
She said she hopes people heed the siren call to check their water and food
supplies as well as their plans on how to coordinate communication and care
for children and other family members in case a natural or man-made disaster
arises.

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